Land of Strength and Sorrow

by Cassandra Fear

  King Ryan cleared his throat and pleaded with his eyes for her to be quiet.

  She paid him no heed. He no longer controlled her.

  Malador came over and wrapped his arm around her. He bent down, and his lips tickled her ear. “I will revel in enjoying all the excitement you bring to my life.” Goose bumps snaked down her arms.

  Before she could say another word, Malador lifted her up to the ladder on the side of Horn, and she climbed, scooting behind Meical. Malador followed and slid behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist. And they were off.

  When they got to The Mammoth Fields, Jovi slid off Horn, happy to stretch and walk around. The land looked the same, dusty grass and sand covering everything. She walked to the tents, and her eyes fell on the tree by the small pond where she’d kissed Cappa for the first time. A pang flitted through her and wrapped around her heart, squeezing. She’d thought everything would work out back then. It hadn’t, but maybe it was never meant to happen. Maybe her destiny had been chosen long ago, and she never had a say in any of it.

  It had all been so magical, learning the truth about Cappa then. She’d pictured a life with him, had hoped for it. But, bigger things attacked their future and smashed it into a million pieces. Now, her fate had been picked.

  And she was determined not to live in the past, so she turned from the tree and moved through the camp as Meical and Bastien gathered their warriors.

  Meical moved to the middle of the camp as more Mammoth Riders came out of their small tents. “My friends. My family. Gather your things. We must leave this place. There has been an attack on the castle, and it has been taken by Fire Mages. As you know, our land is on the border of their own. We are no longer safe here.”

  “But what do we do now?” one warrior yelled.

  “I won’t tuck tail and hide from them sissies,” another boomed.

  Meical raised his hand above his head with his palm out. “Stop. I know you don’t want to run, but we aren’t running. We are retreating to plan an attack. War is coming, and we will be right in the middle of it. Who’s with me?”

  Battle cries and thumps on chests followed. Jovi couldn’t stop her smile. These men, as unruly as they were, would follow her uncle into the ground if he led them there. How her father had let his brother leave the castle, she would never understand.

  It took no time for the warriors to gather their things. There wasn’t much. Each got their mammoths, and they left their small camp behind as they moved forward.

  The next stop was Mount Soumahalla. Dagu greeted them all, and after some polite conversation, Jovi took Gorn, Fink, and Berty and they rode toward Bertson’s Waterfall of Tears.

  Jovi didn’t tell them where they were headed. She didn’t want the Giant children to know what had happened to their father, that he still lived but as a stone statue. She wanted them to understand he’d be whole again, so she would let them see it happen for themselves. For some reason, she couldn’t bear to see them hurt, so she’d done everything she could to make sure they wouldn’t be.

  Malador insisted he would be able to break the stone from the Giant, and Jovi believed him. Not that she had any other choice, but even if she did, she would still choose to believe him.

  He hadn’t steered her wrong yet. And he’d let her come and had no problems stopping to collect the children to begin with. The more she got to know him, the more she liked him. Even if she’d thought she loved Cappa, she knew she could love Malador in time. Her heart would open to him. He was kind, caring, and never pushed her to do anything she didn’t want to. He had ideas to keep her safe, but if they went against what she believed he opened his mind to her opinion and considered it. Yes, she could be stuck with much worse, she imagined.

  Perhaps she had been lucky to be forced into this marriage after all.

  The sun fell and rose again before they arrived at The Lake of Sorrows.

  “Is that our dad?” Gorn asked as he peered over the ledge to the giant statue below.

  “Jovi climbed off Horn and laid a gentle hand on his chubby arm. “It is. Your father, was turned to stone long ago. That is why he hasn’t been back to find you, because he couldn’t. But my husband, Malador, is going to free him today. And then you can be reunited with him.”

  Tears fell from Berty’s huge eyes. “Ohs. Looks what you mades me do. Nows I’ll never stops leaking.”

  “You will. Trust me. Just wait a few minutes.” Jovi smiled and wrapped her arms around them. “It won’t take long, and you’ll be able to hold on to him again.”

  Fink squeezed her so tightly she couldn’t catch her breath. “Thanks you ever so much, Princess.”

  Jovi stood, her heart swollen, as emotions swarmed her like bees around their hive. She couldn’t put words to the happiness this moment brought her, even if she wanted to. But, she didn’t because if she tried to talk right now, she would be “leaking” too. Nobody wanted a bunch of blubbering right now. They all needed to stay alert to any danger.

  “My Queen. I know how stubborn you are, but I need you to stay put while I do this. Keep watch with the warriors and scream at the first sight of danger.” Malador shook his long, silver hair out behind him. “Can you do that?”

  Jovi nodded. “Of course I can. I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

  So he left and climbed down the steep cliff. Jovi watched him as images of her own time climbing the stone Giant bombarded her. Would this ever stop? The past would always be a part of her, but she didn’t want to think of it anymore. Not when she had a new future.

  Bertson’s Waterfall flowed freely as water splashed into The Lake of Sorrows, sending ripples along the water’s surface. It was so beautiful, and so sad.

  But not for long. Soon, Bertson would be free to live another day, and perhaps the Lake of Sorrows would dry up with no water to fuel it.

  Malador and his Mages stood before the Giant as their frost magic flew toward the icy stone and covered him with blue flames—at least they looked like blue flames from where Jovi stood. She inched closer. Even though Malador had told her not to come near, going to the ledge to see a little better didn’t actually go against what he’d said, did it? She didn’t think so, especially because she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the scene in front of her anyway.

  The ice magic wrapped around the Giant and before Jovi knew it, the Giant’s thick leg moved. It crashed into the bridge before him and sent stone flying all around. Waves formed in the water as Bertson stepped forward, one leg sloshing into the Lake. The other soon joined as water rippled and flapped up over the rim, soaking into the ground.

  Piece by piece, the Giant came to life. His arms swung and stomach shook with each step. He stopped in front of the Frost Mages.

  Green moss lined each arm as Bertson waved them in the air. “You. All yous should bes ashamed of you-selves. Yous left me heres, all those years agos…and I couldn’t dos nothing except watches everything happenings around me. Nots very nicely.” Bertson’s voice thundered through the forest, easy for Jovi to have heard on the other side of it. Although, like his children, his speech was hard to understand.

  It did put a smile on her face. Even now, when he’d been frozen in place for twenty years, he didn’t hurt the Frost Mages, only scolded them.

  The gentle Giants.

  Jovi placed a hand on the children to keep them in place. They were trying to run forward, and she wanted to let them, but they had to wait.

  Malador waved his hands. “We have set you free now. You are no longer in that iced-over prison.”

  It was now time. Jovi jogged forward until she stood on the ledge and waved at the children to follow her. “Bertson. Hey. Over here.”

  He turned toward her, his watchful black eyes calculating.

  “Hi. I found your children. Berty, Gorn, and Fink. I’ve kept them safe and made sure they were here to be reunited with you on this day.”

  Bertson froze as his eyes scanned each of his children. Tears glistened in the b
lack depths, but they didn’t fall. After several silent moments, he bowed his head. “Thank yous. Fors yous kindness this days, I wills always be in yous debts.”

  Then, he spun around slowly, each step shaking the ground until he left the water. With a heave, he rose onto the ledge in a single stride and scooped all three of his children in his arms. They nestled together, cooing. Jovi couldn’t swallow the lump in her throat.

  Carrying his children, Bertson collapsed on the ground; his legs stretched out in front of him. Mammoth riders jumped out of his way and gave him the space he needed as the Giant all but purred, rubbing his cheek against his kids. Jovi watched in silence as warmth spread through her. She knew the feeling. Happiness. It had been such a stranger to her in the past, but now…now she understood what it meant. And she liked it.

  Panting, Malador stopped beside her, his hands on his knee as he tried to catch his breath. After several seconds, he smirked at her. “Tell me, my Queen, how rushing to the ledge is staying put?”

  She gave him a sheepish grin. “I’m sorry.” She moved closer and rubbed his chest with her hands as she snuggled against him. “I just thought I could help.”

  “What will I do with you?” Malador chuckled. “A wife who won’t listen to me. That is an impossible situation.”

  “Perhaps, but at least you’ll have more fun.”

  He started to laugh, but as he peered behind her, all laughter faded from his face. Instead, his eyes widened, and he drew his sword. “Danger.”

  Jovi started to turn but yelped as fire scorched the skin on her back. It hit her so hard she was thrust forward until she smacked right into Malador with so much forth she couldn’t stop as he stepped back, back, back. His heels hit the edge of the cliff, and he tried to shove forward, his arms flailing at his sides. With her weight against him, he couldn’t gain any ground. Jovi screamed as he fell, and with nothing in her way, she plummeted over after him, the Lake of Sorrows getting closer and closer by the second.

  Everything spiraled around her as Jovi fell toward the lake, Malador floating right under her. Fast. But, it would be over in a moment.

  She didn’t want to die. Not like this.

  She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see when the impact would come, even though she knew it would be any minute.

  But it never did. At least, not like she’d imagined. She smacked into something solid, but squishy too. She opened her eyes. No longer did she sink toward her death, but instead she rose through the air as she rode a giant, coarse hand. Bertson.

  He grunted, and the leaves in the forest behind them swayed. “Nobody’s gonna be hurtin’ mys friends…”

  Then chaos ensued.

  The army of Fire Mages stood within the cover of the Forest of Giants, hiding behind trees before they stepped out to shoot their fireballs forward. Jovi ducked and dodged when Bertson sat her down, but he moved her behind him, set his children beside her, and stood.

  He growled, and the Fire Mages hid. Jovi would have to. Even as their fireballs spewed toward him, he smacked them with his giant hand, swatting them from the sky like they were tiny bugs irritating him. Nothing more. Nothing less.

  And Jovi sent a thank you to the sky above. With Bertson on their side, they might stand a chance. He was strong, probably stronger than anyone, and fueled by the anger of being made into a statue all those years ago. Perhaps things might work out.

  Peering around him she spotted many Fire Mages in the forest ready to fight. It made her crawl to her feet. He couldn’t stop the army by himself. She shot forward, well, tried to until Malador stepped in front of her, his eyes hard and unmoving. Jovi took a deep breath, ready to fight, but he only took her hand. “Just stay beside me, and let me lead. Please.”

  She tipped her head to the side and did not move until he pulled her forward. When he dropped her hand, she still stood frozen. He hadn’t tried to stop her. He hadn’t told her she couldn’t fight. He’d heard what she said before and had listened, and even though it must kill him to let her near the danger, he did because she wouldn’t have it any other way. For that, her heart opened a little more to him.

  And, she didn’t care who took the lead.

  Malador did exactly that, though. He rushed forward as his fingers pointed in every direction while he barked orders. “You guys, here. Flank him and keep him safe. You, stay back and guard the rear. Everyone else, charge.”

  Meical and his wooly mammoths thumped toward the battle with their spears and swords raised above them. Some even held bows and pitched arrows one by one into the enemies. But there were a lot of enemies, and it seemed when one fell, three more took his place, filing in from somewhere in the forest. Jovi’s stomach dropped. Even with a Giant and the best warriors in Orendor, she didn’t see how they could get out of this battle with their lives.

  When Bertson pulled two trees from the ground, it looked like he was picking flowers. He chucked them, and they rolled through the Fire Mages, sending their bodies flying through the air so high they almost touched the treetops. But what went up had to come down, and when they did, not one of them moved.

  A squeal of triumph almost escaped her, but she stopped it by clamping her mouth shut. Her heart raced in her chest as Malador turned to her. “Can you stay back here and help guard the rear. Use your magic if you must, but keep our people safe.”

  Jovi nodded, watching him go. It took everything in her not to run forward and abandon her post in the back. She wanted to be in the battle. Guarding the rear wasn’t her thing.

  Bertson picked up another tree, but this one he used as a bat and swung into the Mages before it heaved them up, up, up, piling down in a heap of bodies. Jovi inched forward, but Bastien stood beside her, holding her back. “Don’t think so, Queen Jovi. You can’t go in there. We have a duty back here.”

  “I’m surprised you stayed back. You seem like the kind of guy who lives to fight.” Jovi frowned and scratched her head.

  “Oh, I do…but when Meical tells me to do something, I do it.” He chuckled. “And, even though he didn’t give the order to guard the rear, he might as well have. I think your new husband is just as fierce as your uncle.”

  Jovi crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. Then, a smile stretched over her lips. “Maybe you’re right.”

  She planted her feet in the ground, staying where she’d been posted, even though it might have been the hardest thing she’d ever done.

  Trees were strewn all over the ground, and woolly mammoths jumped over them, making the ground shake even more. It felt like a constant earthquake between Bertson and the mammoths. And as they ran into the forest, the warriors riding them slashed their weapons into their enemies. Arrows soared into arms and pinned through stomachs. Orange blood splattered trees and sprayed mammoth fur, but it didn’t stop them.

  No, it only made them scream louder and push harder.

  These warriors lived for this and Jovi could see that as plain as the sun shining in the sky.

  Bertson wrenched another full tree from the ground, but as he ripped it up to throw it, he lost his grip. It flew backward, and Jovi dropped, parallel to the ground, as it whizzed over her head. She turned as it soared straight down toward the lake below and kerplunked in the water. A giant wave rose up over Jovi’s head and blocked the sunlight. Cold water slammed into her, and she shivered, but she climbed to her feet and spun back around. She wouldn’t take her eyes from the battle for a wave. No, she had to stay the course, drenched or not.

  Her chest warmed, and Jovi wrapped her hand around her necklace. It throbbed with power, but she didn’t want to use it. She didn’t know enough about it. Plus, they wanted her to guard the back and make sure the enemies didn’t flank them. She got it, but it didn’t make it any easier.

  But, she had listened. This time. Even though her feet itched to run forward so fast even Bastien wouldn’t have caught her. She glanced around. Maybe she could.

  She took a few tentative steps forward, her eyes on the grou
nd. When she pulled her head up, her gaze landed on Belisandre standing to the side in a slight clearing. She looked right at Jovi, beaming. Jovi froze.

  In fact, everything stopped. The noises. The battle. The shaking ground. Everything. It all turned gray and ashen as if the land had burned to nothing. Her heart fell from her chest and drifted through the air as the Lake of Sorrows swallowed it. The pain hit her with so much force she couldn’t take a breath.

  Standing beside the sorceress—beside Belisandre—was Cappa.

  An evil gleam shone from him. As he met her eyes, he smiled and pointed, turning to the sorceress. His lips moved, and Jovi desperately wished she could hear what he had said.

  It took a few minutes to catch her breath, to be able to move again, but when she could, she turned to Bastien. “Cappa.” That was all she said, all she could manage.

  Bastien found him soon after and rubbed his chin. “No way would he join her army. What the hell is he doing?”

  Jovi shrugged, not sure she could find any words right now. She stared straight ahead, her mouth open as Cappa pulled a thick, steel blade from his waist. He held it up and ran toward Malador, who had his back turned while he fought against two Fire Mages in the heart of the forest.

  Just like that, Jovi understood. Cappa had joined Belisandre so he could get rid of his competition. And as fast as the thought hit her, another followed…one that almost knocked her back, but she couldn’t focus on it now. She had to shove it aside, to deal with it later.

  A big tremor shook the ground as Bertson fell. Gorn, Fink, and Berty rushed forward to their father and swarmed around him to try to help him. Jovi didn’t know what had made him fall, but as she stared at Belisandre, she knew the sorceress had something to do with it.